Mayor Robert Craft of Gulf Shores released a statement addressing the recent federal immigration investigation at the Gulf Shores High School construction site. The mayor's statement underscores the city's support for Homeland Security's enforcement of federal immigration laws and emphasizes that the City of Gulf Shores is neither a target nor involved in the ongoing investigation into private businesses contracted for the project. He also highlighted the city's commitment to assisting federal authorities if requested and reiterated that the incident is not expected to impact the construction timeline or the school's opening.

The mayor's statement comes following a raid by a joint task force of federal agents, including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), at the Gulf Shores High School construction site on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. According to officials, the operation resulted in the arrest of 36 individuals suspected of working illegally at the site. The raid reportedly turned chaotic, with some individuals attempting to flee in vehicles, crashing through a fence, and others trying to escape on foot. Authorities confirmed that 20 of those arrested had prior criminal records, with charges ranging from domestic violence to DUI, and several had re-entered the U.S. after previous deportations. The general contractor for the $137 million project, Rabren Construction, has publicly stated its cooperation with the investigation.

Mayor Craft's statement also addresses concerns raised in local news reports regarding the potential impact on construction quality due to the employment of allegedly undocumented workers. He firmly stated that the City is "unaware of any evidence to support this claim" and detailed the rigorous oversight measures in place for the project. These include the engagement of renowned architectural and engineering firms, approval of construction plans by the Alabama Division of Construction Management (ADCM), continuous site presence by a third-party engineering firm, and meticulous inspection protocols by the ADCM to ensure compliance with all State Building Codes before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. The mayor emphasized that the City's contract with the general contractor mandates the use of the federal E-Verify program, a standard requirement for public construction projects in Alabama.

Related Article: FBI and Homeland Security Task Force Arrest 36 At Local School Construction Site

Below is the full statement from Mayor Craft…

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲

𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

The City of Gulf Shores supports the efforts of Homeland Security to enforce federal immigration laws and keep our community safe. The action taken by the Homeland Security Task Force last week is part of an open investigation into private businesses under contract with the City. The City is neither a target nor involved in this investigation. Therefore, we have no access to any documents or awareness of any of the investigation's facts beyond what is publicly reported. Further, the City has not been notified by the task force nor received any information following the completion of the operation. The City will assist the federal government in any way possible if requested. Additionally, we do not expect this incident to affect the construction timeline or opening of the new Gulf Shores High School.

The City's contract with the general contractor overseeing the Gulf Shores High School construction project stipulates that the contractor must utilize the federal E-Verify program to verify employee eligibility to work in the United States. This contract language is standard on public construction projects in Alabama and is also used in all City of Gulf Shores construction contracts. The Department of Homeland Security then enforces compliance with the E-Verify program.

The City is also aware of a recent statement by a representative of Homeland Security, as reported in local news that suggests the quality of construction at the school may be in question due to the use of employees who are allegedly not in the country legally. We are unaware of any evidence to support this claim. The City has taken steps to ensure this project is subject to rigorous oversight from a multi-disciplinary team of architectural, engineering, and construction experts, including the following:

• The City hired renowned architectural and engineering firms to design the new high school. The architectural firm also monitors the project for compliance with the plans.
• The construction plans for the school were reviewed and approved by the Alabama Division of Construction Management (ADCM).
• The City hired a respected third-party engineering firm to manage the project, ensuring that the materials and inspections are conducted according to specifications. This third-party engineering firm has a continuous presence on the construction site while the site is under the control of the general contractor.
• The construction project is subject to meticulous inspection protocols, which are conducted by the ADCM. The City does not have the authority to approve any of the work on site. These inspections occur at critical milestones during and after construction to ensure all State Building Codes are adhered to, and the ADCM will not issue a Certificate of Occupancy for any portion of the new Gulf Shores High School until all required inspections have been completed and passed.